This August 22 is celebrated the feast of Santa María Reina . For this reason, we share a story in which the Virgin appeared and rewarded three young people who had made special dresses for her with the help of “a secret received from heaven.”
Saint Louis Maria Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716), promoter of the consecration to the Virgin, recounts in his book The Admirable Secret a tradition described by various authors, including the Dominican Blessed Alano de la Rupe (1428-1475), to who our Lady appeared to her and reiterated the promises of the Holy Rosary that she had given to Santo Domingo de Guzmán.
The story goes that one day a priest recommended 3 sisters prepare a beautiful dress for the Mother of God. They had to prepare it with “a secret received from heaven”, which consists of devoutly praying the Holy Rosary every day and for a year.
After twelve months, within the framework of the Purification festival, the Virgin appeared to the young women wearing a resplendent dress with gold letters that said: ” Ave Maria, gratia plena !” (God save you Mary, full of grace).
The Queen of Heaven, accompanied by Santa Catalina and Santa Inés, approached the older sister to thank her for the beautiful outfit she had made for her. The two saints also thanked him and the mystical vision disappeared.
Shortly after the Virgin appeared again with the two saints, but wearing a dress without glitter or gold. She then went to her second sister to thank her for the clothes she had made for him. But the girl asked what was the difference with her first dress.
The Mother of God replied: “Your sister knitted me better clothes, praying the Rosary better than you!”
Later, Our Lady appeared for the third time, but she was wearing dirty and torn clothes. Turning to her younger sister, she commented: “My daughter, that’s how you dressed me! Thank you!”.
The young woman, bewildered and embarrassed, begged the Virgin to forgive her and promised to pray the Rosary better to offer her a “beautiful outfit”. Later, that girl told everything to her confessor, who encouraged her and her sisters to pray harder.
The following year, during the Purification festival, the Queen of Heaven appeared to the three girls again. This time the Virgin wore a splendid dress and she was once again accompanied by Saint Agnes and Saint Catherine, who wore crowns on her head.
Although the story does not indicate what time or place the saints are from, it is necessary to indicate that there are two martyrs with these names: Princess Santa Catalina de Alejandría, patron saint of spinsters and trades with the use of the wheel, and Santa Inés of Rome, who is represented with a flower crown and is the patroness of young women.
The Virgin then told the three sisters that the next day they would go to heaven. They began to feel bad that night, received the sacraments, and thanked the priest for the advice he had given them to pray the Holy Rosary.
The Queen of Heaven appeared to them for the last time surrounded by a retinue of virgins, ordered them to be put on white robes, and took them to heaven before the singing of the angels who said: “Receive the crowns that have been prepared for you from eternity! !”.
(Translated from ACI Prensa)